Tall Tales: Sydney Tower Relaunches with Three New Stories to Tell

Multidisciplinary firm loopcreative vividly reimagines an icon of Sydney’s skyline for the new age, with each floor housing a distinct dining venue and an abundance of Australian design

Let’s escape the present for a moment (gladly, some might say) and travel back to Sydney in the early 1970s, an ambitious time for a city cementing itself as the cosmopolitan harbourside hub we know today.

Just two years after the last tiles were laid on Utzon’s Opera House in 1973, construction began on another aspirational attraction, one which remains to this day the tallest structure in town. Now, almost five decades later, Sydney Tower relaunches — with a few clever nods to its storied heritage.

Early conversations about visions of the tower redux with the client, leading hospitality group Trippas White Group, centred on one question: what’s missing from Sydney’s dining scene? The multifaceted response, developed by Sydney-based studio loopcreative, is realised in three richly detailed venues that each champion the best of Australian design. ‘We wanted every level to give real impact and leave a lasting impression, so each had to have its own individual personality and proposition,’ says Rod Faucheux, director at loopcreative.

Taking up the entire first level, 81 floors above the city, Infinity is the tower’s classic fine dining restaurant. The luxe environment is defined by a palette of sumptuous purple carpet, stained timber and buttery leather seating. Purposefully moody lighting accentuates gold and brass features that reflect the building’s metallic exterior. It’s a theatrical and intimate atmosphere where guests indulge in Australian cuisine against a changing panoramic backdrop.

By contrast, the open and earthy SkyFeast on the second floor is a sophisticated yet casual experience, elevating buffet-style dining for discerning foodies. Tactile touchpoints, including solid oak seating by Australian design house Didier, bring a welcome human element to the space. Pebblecrete in the foyer segues into bespoke terracotta breeze blocks on the curved internal wall, a riff on the familiar textures of Aussie suburbia.

At the apex of Sydney Tower is Bar 83, which oozes unapologetically bold, retro-futurist chic.  Circular portals and vivid shades of red evoke the modish glamour of exclusive airport bars and Sydney’s golden age of international travel, when the tower was built. Plush curved lounges — custom-made by Didier — invite conversation, and diners from both SkyFeast and Infinity are invited up for pre- or post-meal drinks via an enticing spiral staircase connecting all three floors. ‘It’s kitsch and playful, but certainly not themed. There’s a rationale and rigour behind it,’ Faucheux says.

The tower’s exposed position and unique physicality brought particular complexity to planning. Limited space in the triangular lifts meant all major joinery and furniture components had to be assembled on site. Not only are spatial plans designed in the round, but the two levels housing Infinity and SkyFeast also rotate, placing further importance on material selection where differing floor and wall surfaces intersect and shift. All three venues required a sensitive lighting strategy in order to complement views and the movement of natural light. But in the end, these significant logistical challenges were seamlessly resolved through considered, characterful design. ‘Our intent was to spark conversation around a place that has always been so iconic in this city,’ Faucheux explains. ‘Yes, the design needed to engage a new wave of visitors, but what we really wanted was for it to draw even us locals in to rediscover Sydney Tower.’

Text / Sandra Tan 
Images / Robert Walsh